What if I told you that being sad, or filled with heartache at Christmas is not a failure of belief, but instead a holy invitation to longing?
What if I sad that bittersweet is the perfect word that sums up Advent?
Would you feel relief? Acceptance? Freedom? A glimpse at wonder and wholeness?
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(all the expressions and ... View Post

Can you believe that the start of Advent is only 18 days away HERE?
Me either! But this year I am so ready for Advent and for Christmas, so ready in fact that I might be a tad giddy.
This time last year we were in our new home but sleeping on the floor and ripping out our kitchen. While it was a sweet time of new beginnings, it was also a stressful time of living in a work-zone.
We have made ... View Post

Do you ever just have one of those palm-to-forehead moments when you suddenly see a solution that you should have seen long ago?
Yep. Me too.
Like when it occurred to me to hang my Christmas Countdown Advent Garland on black foam-core board and dress it up like a chalkboard.
Duh!! Why did I not think of this YEARS ago?
Hanging the garland this way helps ground the all the ... View Post

Last weekend, Sweet Man, the boys and I all took a little road trip to Chattanooga so that I could lead my Advent In a Box event for St. Mark's Church-Chattanooga. (I also was honored to lead the sermon on Sunday morning, but we will get to that later.)
But first, the Advent Event.
As you probably know Advent begins this Sunday and the time to make your calendars and put together your wreath ... View Post

*the Zens 20th Year Reunion*
Y'all last week was a booger. It was hard, and stressful, and there were a few times when I thought I might just lose IT at long last. That I might just finally come completely undone once and for all.
More than once I played Sara Groves song, Peace, Peace, singing along with these lyrics, tears in my eyes.
Peace, peace, it's hard to find
Doubt comes like a ... View Post

It occurs to me now, sitting here, that the lyrics "tidings of comfort and joy" - the very lyric I have honed in on like a heat seeking missile this season- tells me two things.
First it tells me that we need comfort, which must mean that something is wrong. Something is broken, hurt, wounded, sad. Otherwise, why would we need comfort?
And secondly, that after comfort is joy.
Which seems like a ... View Post